Ross Griffith’s defenses have known to be smothering, tough and physical groups that can fly to the ball, leaving the opponents helpless.

That menacing goal isn’t changing for the North squad on Saturday for the 37th annual Lions All-Star Football game. As the North’s defensive coordinator, Griffith’s message during Tuesday’s practice at Shasta College was to “overwhelm the South in every way possible.”

With the players Griffith, who also serves as the West Valley High defensive coordinator, has in place, the North is dialing up a plan to make Saturday night feel like an eternity for the South.

“We have intensity,” North linebacker Victor Raigoza of Orland said. “We’re going to come out hot. We call ourselves the ‘wild dogs’, we just want to go crazy.”

Raigoza is one of seven all-Northern Section players expected to play defense for the North. He’ll line up at inside linebacker, the position he racked up 154 tackles at for Orland last year. Except he has more help around him than he is used to.

Next to Raigoza is West Valley’s Larry Tanner, who has served as the focal point of the Eagles’ defense the past three seasons. Tanner registered 364 tackles in his prep career and there are still two other middle linebackers – Thomas Lowe of Corning and John Boshell of Enterprise – who each had 100-plus tackle seasons.

“We have the best linebackers in the section,” Raigoza said. “A lot of us are going from being the main players on our teams to being just another guy.

“There’s a great vibe, all of us get along. We don’t care who starts or anything because we’re going to tear it up.”

Griffith has installed the 3-4 scheme – three linemen, four linebackers – which is different than his 3-5 base at West Valley. It is to counter the South’s spread offense and the versatility of the linebacking corps makes it easier to do that, he said.

The North has its run stuffers up the middle while outside linebackers Cory Cook of Trinity and Michael Gallagher of Burney can both play in coverage and hold the edge on the running game. Central Valley’s Connor Silveria will also see time at that position when he catches his breath from playing running back.

Blitzing has been regulated for the Lions All-Star game but the only way a player can rush the passer is by having their hand on the ground. It poses a challenge for rush-happy coordinators like Griffith.

“It changes the whole dynamic of our philosophy because we love to bring pressure,” Griffith said. “We’ll still bring it but have to be more strategic when we do.”

Limited blitzing puts a burden on the defensive line which will be anchored by three-time all-section defensive end Skyler Ferguson of Enterprise. Corning’s Calvin Abel is at the other end position while Hayden Kaae of Etna is at nose guard.

When the South takes to the air with quarterbacks Jackson Hopking of Wheatland and Gridley’s Emery Haddy, the North’s secondary of Tim Naylor of CV, Eli Chapman of Mount Shasta, Kavi Ram of Orland and Austin Burbank of Hamilton will be ready.

Naylor is a two-time all-section defensive back and Chapman was the track and field section champion in the 100- and 200-meter dash, providing speed on the edges.

The North’s primary focus will be to stop the South’s potent ground attack, which features six 1,000-yard rushers. Paradise’s Mat Machado, Willows’ Chris Walter and Sutter’s Alex Ingram are some of the quicker ’backs while Biggs’ Nathan Callaway, Yuba City’s Omar Herrera and River Valley’s TJ Dove provide a little bit of power and speed.

Dove, at 6-foot-1, 190 pounds, is the player the North expects to get the bulk of the carries.

“He’s a stud, he’s going to make some plays, we’re going to make plays and hopefully we’ll make more,” said Naylor, who saw Dove rush for 430 yards in two meetings against CV. “We have really good linebackers and a really good line so hopefully they can slow him down a little bit.”

About T.J. Holmes

Sports reporter T.J. Holmes is a national award-winning journalist for the documentary he co-produced called “Enterprise’s Road to State.” He’s spent more than five years covering high school, college, professional and community sports in the North State, is active on social media sites Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and regularly produces content via blogs, stories, a prep notebook column, videos and more.